The old story books of England
Subtitle: illustrated with twelve pictures by eminent artists
By: collected and re-edited by Amb Mer [i.e. Ambrose Merton].
Contributors: Thoms, William John, 1803-1885; Cole, Henry, Sir, 1808-1882; Cundall, Joseph, 1818-1895; Tayler, Frederick, 1802-1889; Franklin, John, fl. 1800-1861; Absolon, John, 1815-1895; Mason, W. G. fl. 1842-1857; Dalziel, George, 1815-1902; Whittingham, Charles, 1795-1876 (printer); Chiswick Press; Gregory, Collins & Reynolds
Series: Gammer Gurton's story books; Home treasury
Publisher: Printed for Joseph Cundall
Published: 1845
Place of publication: Westminster
Language: eng
Number of pages: 212
Subjects: Illustrated children's books -- Specimens.; Tales -- Great Britain.; Folklore -- Great Britain.
Genres: Specimens.
Other titles: Old story books.
Notes: At head of caption title for each story: "Gammer Gurton's Story Books.".

Date taken from British Library Public Catalogue.

Printer's statement taken from the colophon of two stories only.

T.p. and the colophon of several stories with device: "AMB  MER" [i.e. Ambrose Merton, pseudonym of William John Thoms].

Includes "Ambrose Merton, Gent. F. S. A. to the Indulgent Reader.": p. [3].

Some of the stories were also issued separately as part of the "Sixpenny Series" of "Gammer Gurton's Story Books", which was a part of "The Home Treasury" series of children's books produced by Henry Cole [pseud. "Felix Summerly"] and Joseph Cundall from 1843 to 1846.  Cf. McLean, Ruari.  Joseph Cundall, 1976 and McLean, Ruari.  Victorian book design and colour printing, 1972.

With decorative wood-engraved head-pieces, tail-pieces and initials.

Printer's device and the date "1845." printed on colophon of "The blind beggar's daughter of Bethnal Green" and "Queen Eleanor's confession.".

Illustrators are listed as Frederick Tayler, John Franklin and John Absolon.

Text of each story is printed within thin black rule border with a thick wood-engraved floriated and illustrative outer edge.  T.p. printed within a floriated illustrative border.  Includes wood-engraved decorative initials and tail-pieces.

Colour wood-engraved plates were probably printed by Gregory, Collins & Reynolds.  Cf. McLean, Ruari.  Victorian book design and colour printing,1972.

Plates include areas printed in colour with metal.  One is hand-coloured.

One plate is signed as engraved by "[W. G.?] ~ G. E. Mason" and another by "G. Dalziel".

Lacking wood-engraved plate as listed in "Contents." (p. [4]) for the story "Sir Guy of Warwick".  With additional plate that is not listed in contents for the story "Gammer Gurton's garland".

Hand-coloured plate was also used colour printed in "Traditional nursery songs of England" published in 1846 by Joseph Cundall.  See McLean D 1115.

St. John, Judith.  Osborne collection of early children's books, 1958, Vol. I, p. 44.

MASS copy: Bound in red coarse morocco-grain cloth; a.e. speckled red.  Spine with mock title label painted brown and blocked in gold.  With presentation inscription dated 1847. 
Table of contents: value: The famous history of Guy Earl of Warwick; value: A true tale of Robin Hood; value: Gammer Gurton's garland; value: The gallant history of Bevis of Southampton; value: The doleful story of the babes in the wood; value: The Lady Isabella's tragedy; value: A merry tale of the King and the cobbler; value: The famous history of Friar Bacon; value: The romantic story of the Princess Rosetta; value: The rarest ballad that ever was seen of the blind beggar's daughter of Bethnal Green; value: History of Tom Hickathrift the conqueror; value: The mad pranks of Robin Goodfellow; value: A mournful ditty of the death of Fair Rosamond, to which is added Queen Eleanor's confession; value: The sweet and pleasant history of patient Grissel.